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The clinical course of acute hepatitis A is indistinguishable from other types of acute viral hepatitis. Symptoms typically include - fever
- malaise
- anorexia,
- nausea and abdominal discomfort,
- followed by dark urine and jaundice.
The severity of disease and mortality increases in older age groups. The convalescence following hepatitis A may be slow, and is characterized by - fatigue,
- nausea and
- lack of appetite.
Complications of hepatitis A include - relapsing hepatitis,
- cholestatic hepatitis and
- fulminant hepatitis.
Fulminant hepatitis occurs in approximately 0.01% of clinical infections and is characterized by rapid deterioration in liver function and a very high fatality rate. Chronic infection with HAV does not occur. No specific antiviral therapy is currently available. |
